After Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned in Detroit and Pittsburgh on Labor Day, the Trump campaign drew attention to how she delivered her remarks.
The campaign posted short video clips on social media with the caption, “Let’s see if you can spot the difference.”
“There’s some racial undertones,” said Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield. “You can’t deny that, most definitely.”
Linda Taliaferro, who owns the career advising agency “The Tee,” said she often changes how she communicates, particularly in the workplace. At times, she said it’s a matter of survival as a Black woman.
Taliaferro believes code-switching is a necessary mechanism.
“We want to make sure that what you see doesn’t trip you from the message I’m trying to deliver,” said Taliaferro. “I don’t have a problem with code-switching. As I said, I do it often.”
Code-switching is the ability to switch between languages.
“I like to use the term mirroring because that’s all I’m doing, mirroring my audience, such as you get my message. It’s really that simple,” Taliaferro said.
She said she’s faced questions in professional settings about her communication style.
“It’s a mechanism to discredit us as Black and brown women,” Taliaferro said.
Sheffield agrees.
“We have to be overprepared and overqualified,” Sheffield said.
A Harris campaign spokesperson told Local 4 that the campaign was not taking the bait from the Trump campaign.
“Donald Trump will talk about any issue besides the real issues that matter to Michiganders and to voters across this country. He traffics in the cheapest and the most divisive tropes,” Harris Campaign Spokesperson Kevin Munoz said.
It’s not the first time the Trump campaign has challenged how Harris presents herself.
Taliaferro said politicians often adjust their styles to the audience and setting.
Harris is no different, she said.
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